HOME RULE BILL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 534, 18 January 1913, Page 5

HOME RULE BILL.

SPEECH BY MR BALFOUR.

INDICTS THE GOVERNMENT.

London, Wednesday. Mr A. J. Balfour, in moving in the House of Commons the rejection of

the Home Rule Bill, said the Government promised the Natignalißts nationality., the British people peace, and the taxpayer economy. It? tojd those in favour of Home Rule all round that this was a step in the disintegration of the United Kingdom, and told the Imperialist that it was a step towards the unily of the Empire. All were duped, and the greatest dupes were the Nationalists and the Britisn people. The bill gave Ireland rights that were too great for Britain's fiscal interests. The Government had on the other hand done its utmost to deprive the Irish Government of what every self-governing Dominion poß3esßed. After declaring that he was Bhocked at the utter and dangerous want of comprehension of the Ulster problem. Mr Balfour warned the House that if calamities arose, and if blood were spilled, which God forbid, then the real assassins would be those who never had the courage to face the situation.

MR ASQUITH CONFIDENT.

RECALLS THE TRANSVAAL,

London, Wednesday.

The Premier said Mr Balfour had conveniently avoided the fact that the Irish movement had passed from a matter of sentiment and effort to an organised practical, and inevitable reality. If the bill were rejected, the insistent demand for it would remain, the undiminished and permanent expression of the vast majority's will. Apparently, said Mr Asquith, the only people hot dupes were Mr Balfour and his friends. Given perversity o« the one side and pedantry on tho other, any constitution could be wrecked in a week k Mr Balfour's prediction of disaster was a repetition of a similar outburst preceding the granting of self-government to the Transvaal. Mr A squith said he was convinced that the bill would excise the baneful influences that had hitherto been keeping Great Britain and Ireland apart, and would "Btablish their permanent unity. . PASSED THROUGH THE COMMONS. AMIDST LUSTY CHEERS. London, Thursday. v Mr Balfour's amendment for the re-, jection of the bill was defeated by 638 votes to 258. The third reading of the bill was carried.by 367 to 257. When the result of the divisions was announced the Nationalists and Ministerialists cheered lustily. The Nationalists shouted themselves hoarse, and cheered the late Charles Parnell, Mr Redmond, Mr Asquith, and "British Democracy."

A frantic, cheering crowd filled the outer lobby, and there waß a demonstration in Whitehall. There were cheers and counter-cheerß, some of the participators crying out, "Ulster will fight."

There was a demonstration outside the Constitutional Club in Northumberland Avenue, and the result was greeted with groans.

Mr F. E. Smith said the fate of the bill would not be determined in the House of Commons, but in the streets of Belfast.

The bill has been sent to the House of Lords and read a first time. . The news of the defeat of Mr Balfour's amendment caused much excitement in Belfast, and the bill was publicly burnt. '

EXCITEMENT IN BELFAST

DEMONSTSRATION IN STREETS

Received January 18, 8.15 a.m. London, Friday.

There is great excitement in BelUfst. Fussilades of revolver shotß in the principal streets. One man was accidentally shot, and had to be conveyed to the hospital. The police restrained the rival crowdß with difficulty. The Police Commissioner directing operations, was severely kicked and beaten. The crowds slowly dispersed. There is little excitement in the Nationalist quarter^